Bath & Body Works Fired a Store Manager for Refusing to Refer to a Man as ‘She’ and ‘Her’ — She Asked EEOC to Investigate

It is surprising, given the current backlash against the “transgender” movement and increased protection for religious freedom in the courts, that a major retail brand would retaliate against an employee who refused on religious grounds to lie.

First Liberty Institute has asked the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate Bath & Body Works after the retailer fired a store manager in Utah for refusing to refer to a male employee by female pronouns. This happened in May 2025.

First Liberty reported that Jocelyn Boden, a member of LDS and store manager at the time, hired the man, who was pretending to be a woman, but she didn’t want to pretend he was a woman. An excerpt:

Jocelyn and the transgender employee worked together only one day, and after Jocelyn refused to use male pronouns when speaking about her because of her religious and moral convictions, a complaint was filed with human resources accusing Jocelyn of “misgendering.” Jocelyn was terminated in May 2025.

Boden must have known something like this would happen, hiring a man in drag. In any case, the retailer refused to grant her a religious accommodation.

“The company’s conduct violated Ms. Boden’s rights under Title VII, which prohibits religious discrimination against and guarantees reasonable religious accommodations to employees,” a First Liberty lawyer wrote in a letter (PDF) to the EEOC.

The lawyer added that Bath & Body Works retaliated against Boden and created a hostile work environment.

“No one should be forced to choose between their job and their faith,” said Stephanie Taub, senior counsel for First Liberty Institute. “Bath & Body Works could have easily worked with Jocelyn and offered an accommodation, but instead they choose to violate state and federal law and fire her.”

A law professor in Ohio, fired for criticizing racial preferences in hiring, had filed a complaint with the EEOC. Last month, his legal counsel announced that the school capitulated and reinstated the professor.